Let’s talk holiday entertaining & all things interior design! Celebrity chef Jaime Laurita and a panel of four interior design experts are opening up with us. Gain inspiration for holiday entertaining, with a cooking demo and tour of the Viking Showroom with Chef Jaime. Plus, learn from our expert panel about what's trending in design for creating a chic and welcoming living space. Stay and mingle after to connect with local design industry professionals while enjoying drinks & Cheeses of Europe. One lucky winner will receive a one of a kind gift basket curated by Chef Jaime. Must be present to win.

Viking has adopted an ever-increasing focus on product improvements, customer service and quality innovation. As a result of these efforts, the new Viking is better than ever. In 2013, Viking became part of The Middleby Corporation, the largest commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer in the world. Middleby owns the best commercial cooking brands in the industry, and they are in two-thirds of restaurant kitchens globally. And now the commercial cooking technology and innovation once reserved for only restaurant kitchens is available for your home; only from Viking.

Erica Eckman, Everything Erica -- Panel Moderator

Erica calls herself "Your Foodie Friend With The Inside Scoop". And she shares all her tips and tricks on her popular site EverythingErica.com and account @EverythingErica. Erica opens her world to us, sharing a down to earth perspective of family life as it relates to food.

Gil Melott, Studio 6F -- Speaker

Gil Melott is a creative. He has served in C-Level executive roles in private and public companies. He's worked as an art director for a global advertising agency and as advisor for key product development and ideation companies. He has also started three creative lifestyle companies filtered through the lens of art, music and fashion.

He is a self-described “schizophrenic specialist and social anthropologist.” With Studio 6F he wanted to create a business that allows him to be part connoisseur, with the eye of a decorator, analytical skills of a CPA, the logistical skills of a general, the grit of an entrepreneur and most likely the diplomatic finesse of a Presbyterian minister. But ultimately he has the frenetic mind of a rapper and soul of a painter. He just might like what he does.

Beth Berke, South Loop Loft -- Speaker

For the past three years, Beth has spearheaded the purchasing, marketing, website development, restoration, photography and styling of the Chicago showroom called South Loop Loft. Her work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Luxe Interiors, Domino Magazine and more. She now leads South Loop Loft’s small but growing team into new and exciting adventures.

South Loop Loft grew quickly as it gained recognition and established partnerships with One Kings Lane and Chairish. The website launched in 2015 as well as the Chicago showroom in the West Town Design District. Beth’s keen eye for the decorative, unique and evocative combined with her passion for travel and culture result in a truly eclectic collection that has proved to become one of the Design Community’s most trusted resources in Chicago and Nationwide. Her current showroom is a two story retail space in the heart of Chicago’s River West neighborhood. It features a constantly evolving collection of furniture, decorative arts, rugs and textiles, lighting, accessories and local artwork.

Erin Minckley, Relativity Textiles -- Speaker

Erin Minckley Chlaghmo is an artist/designer, business owner and mother of two boys. She moved to Chicago in 2008 to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received her MFA in Fiber and Materials Studies in 2012. Among other pursuits, Erin founded the wallpaper company Relativity Textiles, which is a riff off of her initials (E=MC2). She has always had a love of printing and pattern, and began as a fiber artist, screen printer and sculptor. She is inspired by travels to Morocco and global textile histories. --- Bio courtesy of Chicago-Woman.com

Jen Talbott, Jen Talbot Design -- Speaker

Jen Talbot is the Principal of Jen Talbot Design, a full service design firm with a focus on Residential Commercial Design. Entering the design world unconventionally, Talbot holds a MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to founding Jen Talbot Design in 2011, she spent the early years of her career as a practicing installation artist, an avid traveler and product designer. She started designing space out of necessity, creating and developing the look and feel of a room to intersect with the large scale art installations she was creating for clients such as Boeing, Renaissance Hotel, Western Union, Drifire, designer Kara Mann, Stuart Weitzman’s daughter and VP of Kate Spade. Her trained eye as an installation artist, allows her to see each interior space with an unique perspective and have an innate understanding of spacial relationships and material combinations.